The Real Cost of Eating & Drinking in NYC

The Real Cost of Eating & Drinking in NYC

From Better Together Here: Exploring NYC by Ashley and Devin Stagg from Better Together Here

June 2, 2026 · 12 min

About this episode

This episode explores the true costs of eating and drinking in New York City and offers budgeting tips for visitors.

While New York City is home to some of the best restaurants and cuisine in the world, the price of eating out can come as a shock to many visitors. In this episode, we're going to explore the real cost of eating and drinking in New York City and give you some tips to save money and budget effectively for your meals while visiting New York City. Let's do it. 👇 The $19 -> $30 Pasta Bill A very common experience is walking past a restaurant in New York City and seeing something like fettuccine Alfredo for $19. You may think to yourself, "Wow, that's actually pretty fairly priced." After eating your pasta and possibly adding on an iced tea, you go to pay, and that $19 pasta has suddenly turned into $30... For many travelers, the sticker shock of eating out in New York City can come as a real surprise. And this becomes especially true when eating at sit-down restaurants where the "true cost" never equals what you actually see on the menu. The longer we live in New York City, the less we are shocked by food prices, but that is only a sign of our own succumbing to the sadness that is restaurant prices in America's most diverse food city. Average Prices at…

People in this episode

Hosts: Ashley Stagg, Devin Stagg

Topics covered

  • cost of dining
  • budgeting
  • restaurant prices
  • New York City cuisine
  • travel tips

Keywords

  • New York City
  • restaurant prices
  • dining costs
  • budgeting tips
  • travel advice

Mentioned in this episode

Places: New York City

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